Duane Thomas "Sub" Sommer died peacefully Friday, April 17, 2026, at USD Sanford Medical Center and Hospital in Sioux Falls following a brief illness.

Visitation will begin at 12:30 pm with a celebration of life, on his and Jan's 67th wedding anniversary, at 1:00 p.m. Friday, April 24, at the Miller Funeral Home Southside Chapel, 7400 S. Minnesota Ave., in Sioux Falls, SD. Burial will take place at a later date in Pierre, S.D. Friends and family are invited to gather, reminisce, and share stories beginning at 3 p.m. at The Attic (family side), 4601 E. 41St., in Sioux Falls, SD.

Sub was born at home on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 24, 1932, in Pierre to Art and Eva (Rapp) Sommer. Throughout their lives, his seven older siblings loved to remind him that instead of turkey dinner that year, they got a baby brother. No one knows how he came to be called "Sub," but the nickname stuck.

In high school, he played saxophone in the band and excelled in basketball, football, and baseball. After graduating from Pierre High School in 1951, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and was stationed in occupied Germany. Following his military service, Sub attended the University of South Dakota and South Dakota State University before returning to Pierre, where he began a 34 year career with the U.S. Postal Service. He later incorporated his love for traveling by delivering vehicles across the country for Wegner Auto, often with Jan by his side.

One evening while out with his friend Maury, Sub noticed "the most beautiful woman he had ever seen" across the room. When last call was announced, he gathered the courage to ask her to dance. That woman, Janis, soon became his wife, and that dance continued for 67 years. Together they raised three children and became devoted grandparents and great grandparents. In 2001, they moved to Mission, Texas, where they formed another circle of lifelong friends. They moved to Sioux Falls in 2017 to be closer to family.

Sub and Jan shared a love of travel and passed that passion on to their children and grandchildren. The family station wagon crisscrossed across the country multiple times stopping at national parks, visiting museums, and exploring the local attraction. With a history buff at the wheel and an elementary teacher riding shotgun, there was no shortage of educational opportunities on these trips. They continued these adventures with their grandchildren and all 10 have their own road trip experiences, which have become core memories of their youth. Highlights included Washington, D.C., California, Florida, and Chicago. Sub and Jan visited all 50 states and six continents. Sub's favorite destination was Germany, where they attended Oktoberfest in Munich at least six times.

A lifelong sports fan, Sub cheered passionately for the Oklahoma Sooners, Chicago Bears, and St. Louis Cardinals. In recent years, he enjoyed attending victorious Bears games in Chicago and Minneapolis and watching the Cardinals in St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and DC, not always being victorious. It would be hard for anybody to beat him in sports trivia as he had an amazing memory.

Sub and Jan loved spending time with their friends and especially their Friday evening happy hour crew at The Attic, with his last happy hour a week before his death. But his biggest joy was his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was so proud of them. His jovial nature made him a natural great-grandparent and he excelled in that role. He attended his share of dance recitals, school programs, graduations, and kids' sporting events, even traveling to two states in February to watch his great-grandsons play basketball. When they moved to Sioux Falls, they instituted Sunday family dinners which became a favorite activity.

Sub was preceded in death by his parents; his seven siblings: Lavonne Gordon, Harry Sommer, Odie (Leota) Butler, Dolly (Lois) Ellsworth, Chet Sommer, Maynard Sommer, and Jeanne Reid; his daughter, Stacy Teets; his beloved St. Bernard (and favorite child), Heidi; and many dear friends and relatives, including Gary Krier, who has been waiting for him with a cold Amber Bach.

He is survived by his wife, Jan; son, Tom; and daughter, Stephanie Perry (Ed Evans), all of Sioux Falls; 10 grandchildren: Sonya (Dave) Manfredi, Arlington, Va.; Chynna Wendell, Luray, Virginia; Miki Weber (Ryan), Milwaukee, Wis.; Jenna (Aaron) Truckenbrod, Dakota Dunes; Josh Perry (Kara), Brandon; Samantha Tesch, Sioux Falls; Tiffany Sommer, Sioux Falls; Meghan Perry (Ben), Sioux Falls; Ashley (Justin) Oppold, Sioux Falls; and Jeremy Sommer, Aberdeen; seven great grandchildren: Charlie, Harrison, Henrik, Hayes, Wolfgang, Matilda, and Margot (and another on the way); as well as many nieces, nephews, and countless friends who will miss his quick wit, fun-loving personality, and generous spirit.

Sub lived an active, full life and while this is a time of grief, it is a time to celebrate what an amazing husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend he was. He will be missed but never forgotten and always in our hearts. The positive impact he made, values he instilled, and memories he created will leave a lasting impact on all of us.

Memorials may be directed to your local Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Pierre Education Foundation, or a charity of your choice.